Five Sentence Fiction — Delicate

Tuesday is when I tackle some Five Sentence Fiction. Feel free to take Lillie McFerrin’s challenge to write a five sentence story based on a single word prompt. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just used for direction. This week’s word is Delicate.

Here is my offering:

His ageless hands were delicate—almost effeminate—with long, pencil thin fingers. The nails were manicured, buffed and fastidiously filed to points giving them an almond shape but were of an uncomfortable length for a man and offered little contrast to his skin, which was the color of fog. A silver ring—an intricate and filigreed knot encrusted with blood-red rubies—bobbed on his pinkie as he drummed his fingers slowly, patiently. He smiled at the soul across the table with plenty of emotion but there was little mirth or warmth in it. Pocketing the pen after completing the transaction he noticed that the signature he had finally extracted was shaky and lacked conviction, but a man’s mark, was a man’s mark.